The following article (reprinted with permission) appeared in the February 2008 quarterly newsletter from the ISR-Oldenburg Registry North America:
New Short Test for Stallions
by Ekkehard Brysch, CEO
The ISR-Oldenburg Registry North America has restructured the format of its Stallion Performance Short Testing. While the 100-Day Test was the preferred standard format in the past, the ISR-Oldenburg Registry N.A. has always offered alternatives such as the Short Test or the Sport Test.
From 2009 on, the Registry offers a new format of a Stallion Performance Short Test which will replace the current Short Test format and will be the preferred testing format for ISR-Oldenburg N.A. approved stallions. The 100-Day Test will be of course still an accepted format as well.
The new format of the Short Test will not include the training period for the stallions prior to the actual test. The training will be completely in the hands of the individual owners and trainers.
The new Short Test requires the stallion to perform in different tests during a testing period of 10 days. The test will be held at an official stallion testing location in the U.S.
The stallions will be required to undergo this test at the age of five or six, exceptions for older stallions will be available during the first years when the new testing format is available.
The new Stallion Performance Short Test will require the stallion to pass a Basic Test which is very similar to the requirements of the currently known final test of the 100-Day and Short Test but with the exception of a cross country course.
The basic test is immediately followed by a Special Discipline Test. Three different Special Discipline Tests will be available to choose from: Dresage, Jumping or Hunter. The results from both parts will count for the final results of the new Stallion Performance Test.
The tentative requirements for the new test format are as follows:
Basic Test
Day 1
Free Jumping
Dressage Presentation, (test according to age) ridden by trainer
Day 2
Expert Rider test (Rideability test) Two test riders ride each stallion for approx. 10 minutes
General scores are given for character and stable manners, ability and willingness to work
Special Discipline Test (discipline chosen by owner)
Day 1
Dressage Test 1 (USDF test according to age)
or
Jumping Test 1 (stallion shown as it develops its jumping over a given course under the direction of an expert jumping judge)
or
Hunter Test 1 (stallion shown as it develops its jumping over a given course under the direction of an expert hunter judge)
Day 2
Dressage Test 1 (advanced USDF test according to age e.g. FEI test for 5 year olds)
Jumping Test 2 (stallion performs over a given course)
Hunter Test 2 (stallion preforms over a given course)
Day 3
Dressage: 2 Expert Dressage Guest Riders ride and score the stallion
Jumping: 2 Expert Jumper Guest Riders ride and score the stallion
Hunter: 2 Expert Hunter Riders ride and score the stallion